Parental Approval!
by JAG-Loves-Animals
Summary: Shadowhunters are the only defence against demons, and their numbers are decreasing quickly, which is why a new law has been created. All Shadowhunters must be married by eighteen. Find a spouse by adulthood, or be forced to marry anyone the Clave chooses. But even if you find a spouse, you need your parent's say, and many want the best spouse possible. Will anyone find true love?
1. New Laws!

Chapter 1: New Laws!

I didn't like this at all, and so my mood was rather sour.

I wanted to be cheery, and I truly tried to be. I had waited sixteen years in our manor for this chance, and so I tried to be excited for the opportunity. I wanted to move somewhere that I could fight demons and meet others my own age, and that was exactly what was happening.

I had lived in our large manor on our enormous plot of land with few neighbours around since I was born, and so had my older brother. It was awesome in our home, and a fantastic place to grow-up.

We had more privacy than I could ever want, and we had the freedom to do whatever we wanted. Our home was safe and held little danger. It was on the top of a large hill, giving an incredible view of the many fields around us.

Yet, it was beyond lonely and amazingly boring. Our home never held any entertainment or guests, and so I could count all that I had ever met on one hand. It also made me feel pointless, since I was a Shadowhunter and had never done anything to help our species.

It was also time to move on from our protected and isolated home. Both my brother and I had grown-up enough and were ready to experience the real world.

Which was exactly what we were doing today. However, there was a catch, and I didn't like it at all.

The Shadowhunter population was decreasing daily, and we were becoming a dying breed. We were out-numbered, due to our risky life-style that caused short life-spans, the hoards of demons weekly, the sheer area we had to cover and our trouble with repopulating. Most of us never got past twenty, and never had the chance for children.

Therefore, the only reason our parents had agreed to move into the big city was to organise our futures. We were going to find spouses for ourselves, and quickly, since there had been a new law that all had to be married before eighteen.

That was why I was upset.

I was only sixteen years old, and my brother was seventeen. We hadn't even talked to someone our own age, - apart from each other - let alone had a relationship with them, and we weren't prepared for romance. But we had no choice in the matter, and it was the only reason we were leaving our home of prisonment.

Obviously we wouldn't be marrying anyone until we were adults, and we were able to choose who. Although, we still had to find such a someone and be forced into a romantic attachment whether we were ready or not. Or be thrown into a relationship with someone we didn't want. It was either choose by adulthood, or have the choice made for you.

It wasn't fair.

The idea of boys frightened me, because I had never talked to one, other than my brother. I had seen boys in Alicante. But only a few had been near my age, - since most lived in other parts of the world, - and I had never spoken to any of them.

I didn't even know what to do in front of boys or in a romantic relationship, since I had never had the opportunity. I had no experience with boys or relationships.

Even the idea of girls made me nervous, since I had seen as many of them as I had boys and I had as much experience with girls as I had with boys.

I didn't know what to expect. I believed that the Shadowhunters inside Institutes would be utterly different to my brother and I, as if we were different species. I also didn't even know whether any would find me even the least bit attractive.

 _What am I going to do-_

My bedroom door opened with a loud creek, scaring me half to death. My head darted up and my breath hitched, until my mother's head poked around the corner.

"Clary, we have to go," she said, looking to my clothes.

It was odd, because I had always prided myself on how tough and responsible I could be, and I had never been weak or in tears before. Yet, those words made my legs go to liquid and my mouth go dry. I felt as if I might cry, or scream.

"I told you to wear something nice, for a good impression…" my mother trailed off, because she noticed my mood.

My eyes darted to my clothes, and I shrugged. I had had a few arguments with my parents, because I didn't want to dress-up for what could be my future-husband and I wasn't ready for it.

I wore my blue sneakers, a pair of old dirty jeans, a loose shirt with a funny phrase full of my kind of attitude on the front and a black leather hoodie.

"What's wrong?" She asked, as she walked over to me, sat beside me on my bed and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"I'm… I'm terrified," I confessed, knowing that I couldn't lie to my mother and that I had to get it all out. "And so… I'm ashamed of myself."

"Clary, you shouldn't be. Everyone becomes frightened at some point in life," my mother told me.

"Dad's never scared," I blurted. "He always says such emotions are a weakness-"

"You truly believe that your father has never been frightened?"

My eyes darted to my mother's, knowing that they were the same shade of green as my own, as she stared into my soul. When I nodded she shook her head and sighed at me.

"Well. Let me tell you that that is certainly not true," she murmured. "Honestly your father has been frightened many times over the years…"

"He never shows it."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't feel it," my mother said. "He feels all those emotions. The only difference is that he never admits to it and always hides them."

"Is that what I have to do?" I questioned.

My mother sighed once more, shaking her head, and pulled me further into her arms. I didn't fight her, even though I hated being held. She placed her chin on the top of my head and rubbed my back, as if I was still a young girl.

"No. Not at all," she responded. "You only hide those emotions in front of enemies who would use them against you."

"But aren't they a weakness? Like Dad says," I mumbled into her chest.

"I don't think so. I believe that only the brave and the strong reveal their emotions," she told me. "It takes a lot of courage to admit that you're scared. It also takes a lot of strength to carry on with your fear and to not let it rule your life."

"But I don't want to be frightened!" I hissed, as my fear began to shift to anger. "It's silly! Why do we have to feel such pathetic things?"

"Without fear, there isn't courage. Without shame, there isn't confidence. You need those emotions to feel the others," she whispered into my hair. "It is only silly, if you let them stop you from living your life."

"It doesn't stop me from wishing I didn't have them," I grumbled.

"That's alright. It would be worrying if you enjoyed your own sorrow and fear…" My mother sighed a third time. "Now, tell me why you're frightened."

"I'm not ready for… boys or love," I whispered. "I don't even think I want it. At the moment I'd rather be alone, without all that stuff."

"That's normal," she replied. "Once we settle into New York, everything will become easy… and you might find that there's a certain someone you like…"

"What happens if they don't like me?" I enquired.

"Then that boy is the stupidest boy to ever live, who has made the worst mistake in the world, and doesn't deserve a girl as perfect as you," she answered without hesitation.

"What happens if none of them like me?"

My mother lightly pushed me away, lifting my chin with her fingers and she looked directly into my eyes. She had kindness and love in her jade eyes.

"Why would you think such a thing is possible?" She demanded, and I shrugged in return.

"Because… I don't see beauty when I look at myself…"

My mother shook her head at me and sighed, as if she had suddenly aged a million years. She released my chin and smiled sadly at me, pitying me.

"Come with me," she said, as she got to her feet and went into my bathroom. "I want to show you something."

I knew what my mother wanted me to see in the bathroom, and I rolled my eyes. Although, I didn't argue because I wasn't in the mood and was too nervous for New York. I only followed.

My mother grabbed my arm in her scarred hand and tugged me over to her side, in front of the large mirror over the sink. She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and brushed my hair behind my ears, turning me to my reflection.

"Tell me exactly what you see."

I stared into the mirror for a long time and took every detail in. My eyes flickered over myself, my mother and our surroundings. I did it more slowly than I could have, since I didn't want to confess what I saw in the mirror.

I started at my eyes, before running over my face and down my body. I then went to my mother, from her hair to her feet. Lastly, I studied the scene around us, before going back to my own eyes.

 _How can I look so similar to my mother, and yet have none of her height or beauty?_ I wondered, noticing the many similarities between us. I was a carbon-copy of my mother, only she managed to make the red hair, green eyes and pale skin gorgeous.

"I see a plain and boring girl, standing next to her kind mother and looking into a mirror, inside an old and familiar bathroom," I murmured, never looking away from my own jade eyes.

"How can such a talented artist as yourself not see the beauty that all others do?" My mother asked, as if there was a reasonable answer to her question.

"Because… it isn't there…." I responded so softly that I wasn't sure if Mum heard.

However, my mother looked away from the mirror and to my face, with an extremely heavy sigh. I saw through the mirror to her face and all the emotions in her eyes.

Pity. Shock. Sadness. Confusion. Frustration. And more pity.

"Mum!" I groaned.

Her eyes darted away from my face and she released her hold on me, almost jumping away from being startled. She placed a hand on her chest and relaxed her breathing.

"What?" She demanded.

I turned to my mother, placing my hands on my hips and crossing my eyebrows. When I saw more of the same emotions on her face, I wanted to growl.

"Don't look at me like that! I'm not some lost puppy that needs a loving home! I don't need sympathy!" I snapped, more rudely than I had intended. "I'm a Shadowhunter, almost an adult, and pity won't help me in the slightest!"

"Okay." My mother nodded and let her face go blank of all those emotions I hated directed towards me. "Just don't doubt yourself like that-"

"I'm just being realistic," I told her, before noticing the pity's return to her face. "Mum!"

I began to glare at her, until she realised that she wasn't masking her emotions and locked them away at the back of her mind. She took a deep breath and shook her head clear.

"We better go, Clary," was all she said, since she knew I had had enough of this conversation.

I nodded, rushing out of the bathroom and tossing my duffle-bag onto my bed. It had my best weapons, half of my clothes and all that was precious or important inside. The rest was either on my body or staying at home.

For now the New York Institute was only temporary. If neither Jon or I had success in New York, we'd be moving to another Institute and another until we found the place for us, with our spouses.

Once we were settled into an Institute, with our lives heading towards a happy ending, our parents would head home and send the rest of our stuff over. They'd also visit regularly and we'd be able to do the same.

But, I wasn't sure if there was such a place or such a man out in the world for me. Which meant I'd either be sent back home, or stay with Jonathan, finding whatever man I was thrown at.

Thankfully, we weren't the only family doing this. Many Shadowhunter families were travelling from Institute to Institute, finding spouses and lives for their children. Especially to New York, one of the most popular of all Institutes.

I quickly tucked my stele into the back of my sock, rolling it over the stele to protect it. I then placed three seraph blades into the hem on my pants, one on either hip and the last at my back. My mother rolled her eyes when I pushed my sword, which had been made for me, into it's sling on my back.

"Clary, isn't that a bit overboard?" She asked.

"I want to be prepared for anything," I answered, as I threw my duffle-bag over my shoulder, pulled my hoodie over my face and left my room.

 _New York. New York. Here I come._


	2. A Change Of Heart!

Chapter 2: A Change Of Heart!

I threw myself to the left, sending myself onto another beam and landing like a cat in a crouch. I then jumped to my feet and tossed a dagger over my shoulder before I could catch my breath. I smirked when it went to the hilt into the two-by-four we had placed as a target on the other side of the factory.

"Jace, we're going to be in huge trouble if we don't head back," Alec hissed from twenty-feet below the beam. "The Morgenstern's are-"

"I know, Alec! I know," I interrupted his panicking, as I looked to the ground and saw a pair of familiar blue eyes looking up at me.

I had dragged Alec to the old factory after a few patrols, for some fun and to avoid home. I knew what was waiting for me at home, and I wanted to avoid it as long as I possibly could.

"What does it matter if we're late?"

"WHAT DOES IT MATTER?" He shrieked, almost on the verge of hysterics. "THIS COU-"

I ran across the beam, leaping onto a ledge and shimmied my way down a large pipe. I rushed over to my best friend and covered his mouth with my hand.

"If you scream like that, you could very well wake the dead," I murmured, with a cheeky grin, and released Alec's mouth.

"I'm not joking!" He snarled, at a much lower volume. "Jace, this could be your life! Your future! It's a big deal!"

"Oh. Don't remind me!" I grumbled.

"I have to, since you seem to have forgotten." Alec turned to me, looking me dead in the eye. "The Morgenstern's have a daughter, and she could possibly be your wife in the future-"

"She won't," I argued. "I'm not interested in settling down, and I don't think I ever will be."

"It doesn't matter if you're not interested. You either find a girl for yourself, or the Clave and your parents will choice for you," he told me as if I hadn't heard it before.

"They can't make me marry anyone. Unless they chain me to the altar and glue the ring to my finger," I growled angrily.

"It's the law-"

"It's my life," I reminded him. "I freely fight for and defend the Clave, and I am willing to die for them. But, I will not let them decide when or who I spend my life with."

"Jace, please… For once just follow the rules, before you do something our parents can't fix," Alec pleaded with me, reminding me of the many times I had gotten into trouble with the Clave and my parents had helped me out of it.

"What fun's that?" I questioned.

Before Alec could say anything else, I yanked the dagger out of the wood and tucked it into one of my many pockets. I then hurried back to the Institute with Alec complaining the entire time, and I had trouble holding back my anger, since he wasn't in the same boat as I was.

Alec had turned eighteen before the new law had been enforced, and so it didn't apply to him and he was able to stay single for as long as he wanted. Anyone who had already turned eighteen or was older, before the law was enforced, weren't a part of it, and so Alec had nothing to worry about.

Which was lucky for Alec, considering they would have forced him to marry and breed, whether he was gay or not. It doesn't matter whether the law stays or is deleted, he can be with his warlock boyfriend, Magnus either way.

When we arrived home, my mother was waiting just inside and she wasn't thrilled. She had her arms crossed, a scold on her face, her golden eyes were burning and she kept tapping her foot.

I wondered how long my mother had been waiting for me, as Alec rushed down the hallway and disappeared. I knew that I'd find no help with my mother, since she could become quite frightening when angry.

"Where have you been, Jonathan?" She demanded, using my proper name as she only did when she was very upset with me.

I turned away from her face, looking towards the front-door and preparing for a quick escape if I needed it.

"The patrol took longer than we had thought," I mumbled, with a shrug of the shoulders. "I'm sorry. But I didn't want to half-ass the patrol and miss something-"

"Jonathan, don't lie to me," she growled. "Every time you lie, a nerve twitches under your eye and you can never look me in the face when you lie."

I gave a heavy sigh, as I turned back to my mother.

"I wanted to be late," I confessed. "As I've told you and Dad before. I am not looking forward to the new guests and I am not willing to marry anyone any time soon."

My mother nodded, liking the fact that I was being honest. Her shoulders sagged and her eyes softened.

"You may not be willing. But you have no choice," a voice grumbled from the hallway, and I recognised the voice as my father's.

I looked over my shoulder, seeing my father watching us like some kind of predator. His eyes were guarded, analysing the scene before him and hiding all weaknesses. His face was both strained and calm. His demeanour was cold and his body was rigid, as if ready for battle with hated enemies.

Although, I knew him well enough to realise that he was only locking his softer emotions aside, since he didn't like the new law either and knew there was nothing he could do to fight it.

"Valentine and his family will be here soon. You better get ready," was what he said aloud, when his eyes told me how he understood my reluctance and felt as grumpy as myself.

"Your clothes are on your bed," my mother informed me, as everything from her eyes to her voice relaxed.

I knew that it wasn't the time to argue with my parents, because they were only doing what the Clave commanded and what they believed was best for me. But that didn't mean I would marry anyone.

I nodded, as I left the front area and travelled down one of the many hallways in the Institute. I ran a hand through my hair, as my stomach churned and the dread grew in my mind.

The one thing I wanted to do was avoid this family and all others. However, I knew that I couldn't do that no matter how much I wanted to. I also knew that even if I could, it would be the worst thing to do being a Shadowhunter who was a year from adulthood.

"Thank the angels!" Someone called. "I was beginning to think you were running away!"

I saw Izzy, as she stuck her head out of her bedroom and grinned at me. She was one of the few females who lived in the Institute permanently, and was the second youngest Shadowhunter here. She also happened to be Alec's younger sister.

Izzy was as stunning as ever, which was no surprise.

She wore a sparkling blue dress, which stood out with her pale skin, her dark hair and dark eyes. The dress was as tight as all of Izzy's clothes, and was shorter than her mother would have wanted, ending at mid-thigh. The fabric was quite thin, and very expensive. The collar was low and I knew she wore no bra underneath, since the straps of the dress hid nothing.

She had on her usual black knee-high boots, with the tallest heels I had ever seen on the back, which only added to Izzy's incredible height. The boots had many clasps and seemed more trouble than they were worth. Yet, they had the boyish touch to her sexy style that Izzy enjoyed.

Her long, straight black hair was out and all over her shoulders. Her black eyes were framed by thick mascara and blue eye-shadow. Her pale skin was perfect, even with all of the healing rune-scars. Her figure was thin and still quite muscular for a woman.

Izzy was similar to a super-model and put most women to shame. However, I only saw her as a sister, since I had grown-up with her and her family for my entire life.

"I couldn't leave you and your brothers. What would you three do without me?" I asked. "You'd all be lost without me. I make all of your lives better-"

"Now I'm beginning to wish you had run away," she muttered, with a roll of her eyes, before going back into her room.

I found myself smirking and chuckling the rest of the way to my room. I kept seeing Izzy in my mind, as she rolled her eyes at me, and the image improved my mood immensely.

Although, as soon as I shut the bedroom door behind me and saw the clothes left out for me on my bed, my mood went back to where it had started. I was bitter, nervous, upset, dreading, angry and regretting that I had ever come home.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed heavily, hoping that the angels would save me from this moment and erase the new law completely. Yet, I knew that was an impossibility.

"This is childish," I hissed angrily to myself, knowing that I was just being stupid over the arrival of the Morgenstern's and all the other families.

I decided I would met the families, help them around the Institute, be friends with them and even go on missions with them. But that didn't mean I was marrying anyone, until I decided myself that I wanted to marry and who I wanted to marry.

I couldn't see that the Clave could honestly force me into marriage. I knew they could stop me from marrying someone, and so could my parents because Shadowhunters my age needed their parent's approval for such things. Although, I didn't believe there was anything the Clave could do to force me to marry someone I didn't want when I didn't want to marry in the first place.

That helped my nerves.

I went over to the clothes my mother had prepared and groaned, since they looked like something I'd never wear. I liked to be prepared for anything, and these clothes were only suited for humans at the office.

There was a baby-blue shirt and navy tracksuits lying on top of my bed, both were freshly ironed and newly bought. On the floor were black, leather shoes which seemed to have been polished recently. Lastly, my mother had grey socks, white underwear and a black belt bundled beside the shirt, as if I was a little boy again.

"Did she forget the suit jacket?" I demanded, sarcastically.

I shook my head at the clothes. As I entered my bathroom, I knew that I wouldn't be wearing exactly what my mother had planned.

I stripped down to nothing, as I tossed each weapon onto the bathroom counter. I dumped my dirty clothes in the laundry basket, before diving into the shower and cleaning all of the sweat off my body from my trip to the abandoned factory where I liked to 'free-style' my training.

In only a few minutes I was out of the bathroom with only a towel around my waist. I had towel-dried my hair until it was as dry as it could be, and my hair was now all over the place. My entire body was spotless, dry and clean.

I knew my mother wouldn't be impressed with my hair-style, since she was always trying to tame it along with myself. However, I liked my hair to be messy.

I turned to my bed, looking once more at what my mother had prepared for me. I ruffled my hair and gave another heavy sigh, deciding what I would wear and knowing that my mother would complain, since she knew this new law was her only chance for grandchildren.

First of all, I took off the towel and slipped on the white underwear. There was no point in deciding to wear a different pair, since underwear was underwear and only I would see them.

I then decided to wear a pair of black pants, which were easier to move around in, instead of the navy tracksuits that my mother would have preferred. The pants were one of the many pairs that I used for training and patrols, and such.

I put on the black belt, since I had learnt that belts were quite useful for carrying weapons and all other objects I might need. Belts were often more useful than pockets.

I then threw on the blue shirt, doing up each white button. However, I stopped at my collarbone and left the other buttons undone, since I wasn't used to anything so tight around my throat and it felt uncomfortable.

I put on the grey socks, noticing how warm they were. They were quite soft and surprisingly thick. I actually liked them, and decided to get some more, probably in black like most of my clothes.

Lastly, I forced on the only shoes I ever wore, which were a mix between sneakers and boots. They were black to blend with the night, leather for protection, and almost older than myself. They were easy to lace up, since the laces were similar to ropes. The shoes were great for running and all other activities, which was why I only ever wore them.

I quickly left my room, after tucking my stele and my 'lucky' knife into the back of my belt. As Shadowhunters we were taught to carry our steles with us always, and my lucky knife was a Herondale family heirloom.

I frowned, since I wasn't used to wearing anything with colour. All Shadowhunters wore black for almost everything in life. Mainly just missions and such.

I was still full of dread when I got to the front-area, where everyone else was waiting for the new arrivals. All five of the Lightwoods, both of my parents, the old Hodge Starkweather and Church, the only cat in the Institute.

"Took you long enough, Jace," Alec greeted.

"I wanted to be fashionably late," I replied, noticing that Alec had similar clothes to what my mother had set out for me. "Why are you dressed like that? The law doesn't apply to you."

"Just because Alec doesn't have to marry, doesn't mean he has to look like the homeless in front of guests," Izzy muttered.

"Yes. We would like to have more Shadowhunters staying in the Institute, and looking like savages won't do that," Maryse agreed, looking forward to the chance of more occupants in New York like she has wanted for years.

I reminded myself that the Institute could hold more than two-hundred people at once, and there were only ten inhabitants at the Institute for the past decade, including myself and the cat. It was basically empty.

Izzy leaned into me, pulling on my shoulder and placing her mouth to my ear. She did it subtly so that no one would realise that we were whispering together.

"Mum still hopes to encourage Alec into becoming straight-"

"Jace! That isn't what I had out for you!" My mother shrieked, finally noticing my clothing. "What happened to the new shoes? Where are the pants? Why is the suit all rumpled?"

"I didn't like them," I mumbled, with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Jace, it was to make an impression," she huffed, as she rushed over to me and Izzy was shoved aside. "Those clothes were new, and I had just ironed that shirt."

"Yeah. Well… The clothes made me feel like a mundane…"

My mother started to pat down my shirt and tried to straighten it out. She even went to tuck in the shirt, and would have too, if I hadn't stopped her. She began to scold at my face, telling me how upset she was through her expression. Her eyes flickered to my hair and her face turned to utter horror.

"Your hair looks as if you just got out of bed!" She screeched.

My mother than threw her hands onto my hair, patting and stroking my head to try to flatten it all down. Before she made any progress, I quickly stepped out of reach.

She absolutely hated my hair being messy, and that was one of the reasons I loved it that way. It was a slight rebellion.

"Mum, don't," I told her, as I ruffled my hair once more to fix whatever she might have tidied. "I like my hair the way it is, and I'm wearing what I have on now."

"But this will be the first impression, which is the most important," she argued. "Valentine has a daughter your age, and from what I've heard she's quite-"

"I don't care!" I snapped. "I will marry when I'm good and ready, and not any sooner!"

"Jace-" My father began, only to be interrupted by voices outside. "They're here." With that, my father opened the front door and we all piled out to meet the family.

The adults, - both sets of parents and Hodge, - went down the steps to the grass, while all the kids stayed at the top step with the cat. I stood to Alec's right and Izzy stood on his left, while Max – their younger brother – stood beside me with Church in his arms.

Max was only nine, and so he was too young to be married off anytime soon. But that didn't stop Maryse from dressing him in a little outfit that almost matched Alec's.

We all looked as if we were attending a wedding, or some kind of formal occasion.

I watched the family, as they exited the portal, one at a time. We had been expecting the portal, since they had hired a warlock in Idris to take them to New York.

The first person had already exited before we walked out the front door. He had white-blonde hair, pale skin and black eyes. He was built more than my father and over six-feet tall. He was dressed in black and ready for a day at the office.

He was obviously Valentine, the father of the family.

The second person was a woman with curly red hair, pale skin and incredible green eyes. She was really thin and quite tall, and very pretty. She wore a green dress that was suited for some kind of formal dinner-party.

She was clearly Valentine's wife, the mother of the family.

The third person was almost a carbon-copy of Valentine, only younger. Same hair, same skin, same height, same size and even a similar suit. But when Valentine had black eyes, the other had green, like the woman.

He was the son.

When the next person came through the portal, I let my eyes flicker back to the portal. The person was five-foot and tiny, with a hoodie over the face. All I could see was that the person wasn't wearing anything formal and carrying a duffle-bag. Just sneakers, jeans and a leather jacket.

 _Must be a younger brother,_ I thought.

I frowned, as the portal vanished behind the person. I was confused and wondered whether it had malfunctioned, because I had been told many times that Valentine, - my father's friend, - had a daughter near my age.

"It's good to see you again, Valentine… Jocelyn," my father said, as he shook the man's hand and gave the woman a kiss on the cheek. "It's been a long time."

"Yes. It has, Stephan," Valentine agreed, with a smile, before kissing my mother's cheek.

"Anyhow, you've met my wife and I yours," my father cut right down to business as he often did. "That's my son, Jace." He pointed at me, and the Morgenstern's looked up to my face.

I smiled and gave a small wave.

"That's Maryse and Robert Lightwood. Their children, Alec, Izzy and Max. Here's Hodge Starkweather," my father introduced everyone, before looking to the cat. "The feline is Church."

Valentine and his wife shook hands with the other adults and they mumbled greetings, before moving back to the two boys. Jocelyn stood behind her husband and between her two children.

We just stood on the top steps and felt as awkward as possible.

"This is our son, Jon." She then turned to the smaller boy and sighed, before yanking the hoodie down to reveal the face. "And this is our daughter, Clary."

I had to stop myself from gaping or gasping. Instead I only stared and froze at the face until the hoodie.

To my utter surprise, what I had first thought was a young boy had turned out to be a gorgeous girl. She was very similar to her mother, and she was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on.

She had long curly hair that was the colour of flames and as wild as anything. She also had the most stunning pair of eyes that I had ever seen, which were jade-coloured. Her skin was like a dove and she had a few freckles over her face, which I found to be cute. But she was similar to a porcelain doll, and stunning in every way.

I couldn't look away from her, and I didn't want to.

For some reason the new law seemed like a miracle, since it gave me the chance to marry someone so perfect. The girl changed my whole opinion of the new law and my situation.

Before I knew it, I had decided that I would marry that girl if it was the last thing I did.


	3. Golden Eyes!

Chapter 3: Golden Eyes!

"And this is our daughter, Clary," my mother introduced me, after yanking off the hoodie.

It made me feel naked in front of all these strangers, as if my protective shield had been taken from me. All I wanted was to have my shield returned to me, and vanish.

I was tempted to hide behind my mother. Luckily, I only settled for blushing darkly and looking to my feet, as if I was some little child.

It made my nervousness turn to anger, and I wanted to hit myself for being so silly. I felt as if I was still a baby, running to her parents with tears in her eyes from nightmares.

 _What are you doing, Clary? Grow-up, for heaven's sake!_ I snapped at myself. _You're a Shadowhunter! Act like one!_

I took a deep breath, before raising my chin up high and standing as tall as possible. Which was sadly only a little over five-feet, and almost shorter than all of the strangers before me.

I noted, as I glanced over each Shadowhunter, that they didn't seem scary or mean. They looked quite nice.

The Lightwood parents were holding hands. The man had brown hair, which made him look younger than my father, the most beautiful pair of blue eyes and a nice set of muscles. He wore what looked to be a tailored suit. The woman had long waves of black hair, eyes so dark that they looked more black than brown, and was quite tall and solid for a woman. She wore a gown of purple.

The Herondale parent's, who happened to be friends of my father, were standing side by side and smiling. The man had hair that was a mix of bronze and gold, eyes that resembled the ocean and the same figure as my father. He wore a nice outfit, with even a tie. The woman had hair the colour of dark chocolate, eyes as golden as the sun, and a body that was somehow both tough and elegant. She wore a dress as red as my hair.

The old man, Hodge something-weather, was leaning on an elegant cane off to the side. The man had salt and pepper hair, showing of his older age, eyes as grey as his hair, a body full of scars and a figure of someone who was worn out from decades of a Shadowhunter life. His formal outfit seemed to suit him more than anyone else, as if he always wore something so classy, and he also held a hanky in his left hand.

The Lightwood children were standing around on the top step, and they looked more like siblings than Jon and I did. The oldest had black hair and the same stunning pair of eyes as his father. The sister had black hair and eyes like her mother, yet she was almost taller than her older brother and her beauty out-weighed mine by a million. The third sibling had brown hair like his father and a pair of glasses over his chocolate eyes similar to his mother, his head reaching his siblings elbows. The two boys had matching suits, and the girl wore the sexiest dress I had ever seen.

The last person was standing between the Lightwood children as if he was a fourth sibling, when I knew he was truly the Herondale's son. He had bronze and blonde hair like Stephan, golden eyes just like his mother, and a figure that matched his father. He also wore a less classy outfit, as if he wasn't willing to. He had a blue suit, with black pants and black sneakers.

"Why don't we get everyone settled in, before dinner?" Maryse Lightwood suggested, and I knew she was the one to run the Institute. Only because Dad had mentioned it a millions times.

"That would be lovely," my mother agreed.

Maryse turned to the four young Shadowhunters on the top steps. Three were roughly my age, while the fourth was a few years younger. There was also only one girl. Therefore, only two out of the four could possibly be my future husband.

"Why don't the children show Clary and Jon to their rooms? It might give them a chance to get to know each other…" the woman let the sentence trail off.

I rolled my eyes. _Very subtle, lady._

"Jace and Alec, show Clary to her room. Izzy, show Jon to his room," Mr Herondale instructed, before waving us away as if we were already forgotten.

"What about me?" The little boy cried. "I want to show Clary her room, too."

"You can come along," the blonde guy replied, giving the boy a gentle ruffle of the hair and then smirking cheekily like the teenager he was. "I need someone to talk me up, since Alec will only huff and roll his eyes at me… Some friend he is…"

I found myself staring at him.

He was golden, from his hair, to his eyes, to his skin. He was beyond gorgeous, and he made me think of some kind of golden god. His hair was long, stylishly messy and blonde. His eyes were amber and incredibly bright. His skin was sun-kissed and bronze.

I quickly looked away when the guy glanced up from the young boy. I couldn't stop myself from blushing, though, and I didn't like that fact at all.

Since no one was moving, my mother gave both Jon and I a hard shove towards the top steps. I yelped and Jon grunted, before lifting up his duffle-bag and rolling his eyes at Mum.

I turned around to my mother, putting a hand on my hip and raising an eyebrow. I looked her dead in the eye, and sighed very deeply.

"Can you lot be any more obvious?" I demanded, before I could think over my words and stop myself. "I mean! COME ON! You might as well throw us at each other!"

"That was the whole point of the shove, little sis," Jon responded with a smirk. "Anyway, they probably plan to stick you in a shoe-box, since you're only three-feet-tall."

"Jonathan," my father warned. "What have I told you about teasing your sister?"

"Dad, don't!" I whined. "I can handle Jon and his pea of a brain."

"Why can Clary insult me, and I can't do the same to her?" Jon questioned, upset that Dad didn't come to his rescue and tell me off for calling him stupid.

"Because she's younger-"

"And shorter," my brother interrupted Dad, with a goofy grin.

"AND SMARTER!" I snapped, before jogging up the steps to the Shadowhunters roughly my age. "For your information, I am five-foot-two, and I'm still waiting for my next growth spurt!"

"That's sad, little sis," Jon muttered, as we all went through the front door and left the adults on their own.

"I'm waiting for my growth spurt, too," the little boy helpfully confessed, suddenly by my side with the cat still in his arms and he looked at me as if I was an angel.

"That's nice," I replied. "Hopefully you won't be waiting long."

"Anyhow, this is the front area," the blonde announced, suddenly taking the lead, and beaming brightly at Jon and I. He seemed to have done so purposely, as if to gain attention to himself. "All hallways and stairs lead to here."

The beautiful girl, Izzy, turned down a hallway, as the blonde, Jace, went up a pair of stairs. It made me halt for minute, as Max and his brother followed the blonde, and my brother followed Izzy. I wanted to stay with my brother, since this place and these people were unknown to me.

Jon turned, seeing that I had stopped. He went to say something, when suddenly someone grabbed hold of my hand and I turned to see a pair of brown eyes behind glasses looking up at me.

"Your room's near mine," Max announced excitedly, before he dragged me after the other two boys. I noted that a pair of golden eyes were watching.

I travelled up the stairs, noticing that Max wouldn't release my hand and had even put down the cat. The two boys kept glancing over their shoulders to make sure I was still following, the blonde was smug and the other seemed friendly. They were both incredibly handsome, though.

"Why's Jon going a different way?" I asked the three.

"Because, this place can hold more than two hundred people, and so there are plenty of beds," the dark haired boy began. "We have our bedrooms apart from each other, and practically have a floor each."

"That's why Izzy's downstairs and we're upstairs," the blonde added, drawing my attention to him and continuing to grin. "But Alec's bedroom is in the left tower. While the adults wanted to be close to one another, so they have the top floor to themselves."

"Including my parents?" I questioned, and the three nodded.

"The adults decided where you and your brother would be suited best. What floor, and near who's bedroom, and such," Alec said. "They decided it might be better to separate you two from each other and your parents-"

"Where there's more of a chance for love," I grumbled, and rolled my eyes once more. "You've got to be joking…"

"I know. They're subtle, aren't they?" The blonde agreed, after a good laugh, and then he beamed at me.

"Don't worry, Clary. Your room's near mine," Max's repeated, sweetly. "And you can read my comic-books anytime. I've got tones and tones of them."

I chuckled at that.

"I've never had the chance for comics. My father likes us to do stuff that's useful, not fun," I answered. "But I like to read, so I might just take you up on that offer… If you don't tell my Dad."

"I promise, I won't ever!" He swore, with the biggest smile I had ever seen. "I've got X-Men, Spider-man, Batman, Superman, Thor-"

"Max, don't smother her," the blonde told him, with a very amused and arrogant smirk. "I'm sure Clary has more important things at the moment, than talking about different comic-books."

"Maybe before I go to sleep tonight," I quickly offered, not wanting Max to have his feelings hurt. "I like to read before bed, and I'd love to hear about your comics."

"You might want to know, that if you're truly upset about where your bedroom is, you can ask for your room to be moved," Alec informed me, being very responsible and serious. Something my brother never was. "If you're not comfortable, that is."

"That's good to know," I murmured, shaking my head and smiling politely. "But I'm fine…"

 _At least for the moment._

"You won't regret it, Clary" Jace told me, before smirking in my direction. "Your room's across from mine…" He let that trail off, leaving me to fill in the blank.

I both frowned and blushed, because I honestly didn't know whether Jace was attempting to seduce me or was messing with me. I had never had anyone to be seduced by or to seduce, because I had only ever been with my family. I couldn't tell seduction from a unicycle.

"And my room is next to yours," Max cut in.

I took advantage of Max and turned away from Jace, who was watching me with his golden eyes and continuing to smirk at me. I didn't know what else to do, so I only pretended that I didn't notice.

"If you ever get lonely, you can come into my room," Max offered. "We could spend some time together-"

"Max, stop flirting with Clary," Jace said with another winning smile in my direction. "She's too old for you-"

"I wasn't flirting with Clary!" Max squealed, turning red in the face. "You're flirting with Clary!"

I blushed darkly and hurriedly looked away, my eyes darting about the stairs.

I noticed that Alec was frowning at the two boys, mainly Jace in particular. I also noticed that Jace had his back to me, hiding his face and walking more quickly, and that Max's face was turning back to a normal shade.

We stopped on the third floor of the Institute, stepping off the flight of stairs, and then travelled down the hallway. The entire hallway was full of huge closed doors, and I wondered just how many were actually bedrooms.

"This is your room," the blonde said, as he threw open the door to my bedroom and stepped aside, recovering his grin.

"My room's there!" Max pointed to the door with the Avenger's stickers, which was next to my bedroom, and he then released my hand and raced into my room as if it was his own. "Jace's room is directly across from mine, with the runes carved all over the doors."

I looked over to the door, seeing each and every rune. At least I knew where I could turned to if I got lost, since I was sure Jace and Alec would help. But I still wasn't sure whether Jace had been joking or seducing.

Nevertheless, I liked the idea of Max being next to my room.

I wandered into my room, looking around at my new surroundings, and I truly liked it, since it was beautiful. Although, it seemed plain and unfamiliar, because I had never been away from home.

"You can decorate your room however you want… to make it more comfortable," Alec said. "We've all done the same."

"However?" I turned to the boys and frowned.

The blonde stepped into the room, prowling like some kind of wild cat and with an air of confidence. He seemed to glow, beside Alec and his dark hair. His grin stood out like the sun.

"You can hang pictures, paint the walls, put up shelves, place stickers…" The blonde shrugged. "Whatever will make it seem like home to you."

"But what happens if I'm moving to another Institute?" I asked.

"That's alright," Jace mumbled, biting his lip and his smile falling. "We've got more rooms than we can count, and I doubt you're going to knock down any walls."

I suddenly smiled.

"I like the sound of that. I don't even get to do that at home," I murmured, glancing around at the walls. "I'm going to paint a moral all over the room," I decided.

"You paint?" Alec enquired, and I turned to the three.

"I do, often... But my mother's better at painting than I am," I responded honestly, before looking back to the wall. "I still enjoy it, along with sketching and such."

"We better hurry up to dinner," Max told me, and I nodded.

I tossed my duffle-bag onto the bed with a soft thump, and went to leave before remembering my weapons. I decided I didn't need my sword or the blades for dinner inside an Institute with over a dozen Shadowhunters.

I quickly took off the sling that held my personal sword, gently laying it out on the bed. When the sword was on top of the sheet I let my eyes dart up to the boys, and I saw that they were looking at the hilt of my sword.

"Can I see?" Jace asked, pointing towards the sword and I nodded. He pulled out the blade with expert hands and admired it as if it was some kind of living creature. "This was made for you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. It was a gift from my father for my tenth birthday," I replied, glancing at my sword and seeing the familiar shine of the blade.

I had only sharpened it that morning, and I often tended to the sword as if it was my own child. My father had told me that a good blade needs great care, and that it was the most important thing I owned because it would protect my life if I took proper care of it.

The hilt was made of black leather, and I had wrapped a sapphire ribbon around it for some colour. The blade was made of a mixture of silver and Shadow-glass. The blade was curved slightly for a better blow, and it was shorter than most other swords due to my height. It even had a few runes carved into the metal.

I knew that sword from the tip to the hilt. I knew the weight and the feel. I knew the damage it could cause and the danger it was. I even knew exactly where the metal changed to glass. The sword was part of my arm.

"It's interesting," Jace said seriously. "Half silver and half Shadow-glass. Curved blade. Small point. A little shorter than most. Very light… quite thin… very sharp… Beautiful really…"

"Thank you," I responded, feeling proud, as he gently put the sword back in the sling and placed it on the bed.

I lifted up the back of my jacket, pulling out each knife and tossing them onto the bed next to my duffle-bag. Each one at a time, before fixing the hem of my jeans.

I looked up when I was done, to see the three staring at me funny. I frowned at them and shrugged.

"What?"

"Were you ready for battle?" Jace asked, with a grin, and he ran his eyes over me.

"I didn't know what to expect. I've never been anywhere other than Idris, and I heard that there are demons everywhere in New York," I confessed, with a small blush and another shrug. "I wanted to be prepared for anything."

"There's more Downworlders than demons," Alec told me, as we all began to leave my bedroom.

"That's good to hear," I mumbled, before closing the door to my room and following the three down the hallway.

"Have you ever seen a Downworlder?" Max asked innocently.

"It's rare to see Downworlders in Idris, and you only ever see them in the city," I told them, as if they didn't know. "But I did see a few warlocks once. They were talking with the Clave."

"I heard that you live in a large house far from the city," Max murmured, and I nodded in returned. "Which means you've never fought demons before-"

"Max, that's a bit harsh," Alec cut in.

"It's alright," I said with a blush. "It's true. I've never had the chance to fight demons, and I've never even laid eyes on one. It's one of the reasons I wanted to leave Idris for an Institute."

"Jace has killed hundreds of demons. He's the best Shadowhunter I know," Max told me, looking to the blonde as if he truly was a god.

"I wouldn't say hundreds," Alec grumbled.

"Yes. I would say thousands," Jace replied smugly, and a large smirk appeared on his face. "And I noticed that you didn't correct your brother on me being the best Shadowhunter to ever live."

"He didn't say that-"

"Even if Max didn't. It's entirely true," the blonde interrupted Alec, as if he had done so many times before, and his smirk grew.

"Humble, aren't you, Herondale?" I muttered.

"No," Jace disagreed, with a cheeky glint to his eyes. "Realistic."

I laughed and rolled my eyes at that. It didn't annoy me though, because Jace was acting just like my brother and my brother was never being honest about such things, just sarcastic and mocking. My brother was a clown.

"Don't worry, Clary. I've never seen demons, either," Max confessed. "I'm too young to go on patrols, and I've only really started my training a few months ago."

"Max is striving to be like me," Jace said, as Alec rolled his eyes. "Many are, since I'm so stunningly awesome and incredibly attractive."

"Yeah. But I don't think I'll ever kill as many demons as Jace," Max admitted, drawing my attention back to him.

"I think you'll be the best Shadowhunter to ever live in no time. I think you might even kill all the demons," I answered, with a soft smile, as he absolutely beamed at me.

"Thanks, Clary."

We travelled the rest of the way in silence, and it wasn't awkward. In fact, Jace and Max were as happy as can be, Alec only rolled his eyes at the two and I was quite delighted by Max. We were just all hungry and tired, knowing that there would be more time for conversations later.

We soon walked into the dining-room, where the mothers were organising the table and others were sitting down. Everyone was already in the room, sitting themselves, preparing the table and talking to each other.

I noted that there were two long tables, and that the adults were filling one, leaving the children with the other. I knew it was so we could get to know each other. Yet, the tables were practically touching each other and so it wasn't much privacy from the parents.

There were seven chairs on the adult tables and six on the children tables, making it so we couldn't sit away from any of the other teens. It caused me to sigh dramatically.

I grinned at Jon when he looked up and noticed me. He waved me over and patted the seat beside him, since we were used to sitting side by side at dinner.

However, Max grabbed hold of my hand once more and dragged me over to the other side of the table, across from Jon. Max sat in the chair on the very end, and made it very clear that he wanted me beside him.

I didn't have the heart to turn him down.

When I sat down next to Max, my brother snickered and wiggled his eyebrows at me, since he knew I hated it when he did so.

"I see you move quickly, little sis," he remarked. "Not even an hour and you've already found your husband. He's even shorter than you-"

"Oh, shut it," I hissed.

I saw out of the corner of my eye, as Jace went to sit on my other side and was stopped by the beautiful girl. She quickly pushed in front of him and seated herself beside me.

I noted that Jace had a slight scold, as he went to the other side of the table and sat next to my brother, without a word other than a grunt. Alec sat beside Jace, filling the table, and glancing at the blonde with confusion.

We all began to eat what was before us, - a huge plateful of streak, gravy, bread, mashed potatoes and peas, - since everyone was seated both on the children's and the adult's table. The conversations started at the same times as the eating.

"I'm so glad you're here, Clary," Izzy told me, as I turned to her. "It's very frustrating in a household full of teenage boys, and I need some girl influence in my life."

"I thought you liked hanging around me!" Max gasped.

"I do, Max. I really do," Izzy responded kindly. "But sometimes I'd like to spend time with another girl my age."

"Yeah. Well… Don't hog Clary!" He snapped rather hotly, to my and everyone else's surprise. "I want to hang with her, too… and she's my friend. Not yours!"

"Possessive little thing, isn't he?" My brother muttered with his usual cheeky grin. "You pick them well, little sis."

I ignored my brother, as I looked to the little boy who was shockingly quite upset. He was clutching his fork so tightly his knuckles were white, his eyebrows were crossed, his face was a little red and he glared at his sister.

"Don't worry," I told him, liking the fact that for once someone was younger than myself. "I'd like to hear about your comic-books. They seemed interesting, and you promised to let me read them."

Max forgot his anger and beamed once more.

"Clary, you remember why we're here. Right?" My brother raised an eyebrow at me, as I scolded.

"Yes, I do. But I'd prefer not to," I replied, hating to be reminded of the new law. "Anyhow, it doesn't mean I can't make friends."

"Exactly," Izzy agreed, before looking me in the eye and smiling as if we had been the best of friends for years. "I love you already."

I ate a fork full of steak, holding back a groan of delight and wanting to compliment whoever cooked it. I only needed a single bite to realise that the food was divine, and I knew I'd be licking the plate and my fingers clean.

Although, I wasn't used to great food, since my mother wasn't the best cook. She often turned her food unusual colours, such as green or black, and the food was always soggy, burnt or somehow both at the same time.

"Diz muff iz amazin'," my brother said with a mouth full of food and moaning happily like some kind of wild boar. He then quickly threw in another fork full and groaned.

"Lovely manners, Johnny," I muttered, looking at my brother and wondering how we were even related. "You won't be finding a wife anytime soon…"

Just to annoy me, Jon opened his mouth and gave the perfect view of the mush in his mouth. It made my stomach roll, and I purposely gaged in response.

"Jonathon, eat with your mouth closed and stop tormenting your sister," my dad could be heard on the other table.

I smirked at my brother, as he pouted. Noticing once more that there were a certain pair of golden eyes watching me.


End file.
